Val Y.
Yelp
COVID-19 UPDATE
It is important for people to have access to places of worship in times of crisis. When things are bleak, people need religion to have hope. It is only natural for them to ask God or the Buddha for strength and protection.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a once is a century crisis. This is not the time for a temple to temporarily close.
My aunty passed away and her journey to the Pure Land began with her passing. In Pure Land Buddhism, there are services on the 3rd, 7th, 49th and 100th day after death. Each service is a transition from death, the physical world and the spiritual world of the Pure Land.
My aunt's 100th day service was scheduled for April 20th but was cancelled by the temple because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
My cousin was devastated. There is no greater love than the love my cousin had for her mother.
The minister at Jodo Mission proposed a service with no one in attendance. My cousin would drop off her mother's urn and ihai at the temple entrance; and she would wait in her car until the service was over.
For Buddhist, the 100th day service is important because it is the last chance for love ones to say goodbye by reciting the Nembutsu while a priest chants sutras of farewell. After this ceremony, a spirit leaves the physical world and eternally lives in the spiritual.
My cousin called, saying that she could not let me sit in my car for the service and therefore asked me not to come.
I thought the temples decision lacked consideration of how important the 100th day service is for those that believed in the teaching of Saint Honen's, Pure Land Buddhism. It lacked compassion; a pillar in Buddhism and I didn't understand.
April 18, 2020
I called and spoke with the minister that was to officiate of my aunt's service and proposed a service limited to 5 people. Attendees would follow all government COVID-19 guidelines,
He said no.
I told him that I understood his fear but believed Saint Honen would allow this ceremony because of the significance of the 100th day service.
He still said no. I asked if he would be willing to perform the service at my cousin's house and he said no.
I asked if I could talk to another minister to see if that minister would be willing to perform the service at my cousin's home. He said he would have another minister call me.
Two hours later, another minister calls and said he was NOT willing to perform a service at my cousin's house. In a final attempt, I asked if he would be willing to perform a graveside service with only my cousin in attendance but apologized and said no.
I was frustrated. I went to the Jodo Mission website and read the directive regarding services at Jodo Shu during this COVID-19 age.
I read a letter by Bishop Kosen Ishikawa, the head of all Jodo Mission's in Hawaii. In my reading, there was no ban on off-site services and in my interpretation, services at the temple may be allowed as long as they followed government COVID-19 guidelines.
I called Bishop Ishikawa at his Koloa, Kauai Jodo Mission for clarification and discussed my cousin's predicament, regarding her mother's 100th day service.
I summarized my discussion with the ministers at Jodo Mission Makiki. I stated how Buddhism was important to a person in times of crisis. I pointed out how Buddhism was a religion of love and compassion. I said in Pure Land Buddhism the 100th day service was second in importance only to the 49th day service. I said I believed a 100th day service could safely be held if no more than 8 people, wearing mask and gloves and performing social distancing were allowed attendance.
I explain how a home 100th day service was safe for a minister if only my cousin and I were in attendance and if that wasn't possible, a graveside service at my aunt's parents grave with only my cousin in attendance was surely very safe.
Bishop Ishikawa was very understanding. He agreed that the 100th day service was extremely important. He agreed that there was a way to have a safe service that conformed to CDC guidelines "IN" the temple. He would talk to the ministers so that my aunty's 100th day service could be held in the temple.
30 minutes later, my cousin called saying that Jodo Mission would allow her mother's 100th day service "IN" the temple with she, a minister, me and another cousin in attendance. We would be required to wear mask, execute social distancing and wear gloves. She was extremely happy.
The 100th day ceremony was beautiful and my aunty safely completed her journey to the Pure Land. My cousin is eternally grateful to Bishop Ishikawa for coming to the aid of her family in this time of crisis. It was extremely important for her to physically be there to express her love and say goodbye to her mother through the chants and music of the 100th day service. She was both sad and happy with it's completion.
Bishop Kosen Ishikawa, you are truly compassionate, wise and great. You restored my faith in Buddhism. Domo arigato gozaimashita!
